ICC announces Test and ODI Teams of the Year

The ICC today announced its Test and ODI Teams of the Year, as chosen by a specially appointed selection panel chaired by the ICC’s Cricket Committee chairman and former India captain Anil Kumble.

The announcement was made by ICC Chief Executive David Richardson at a media conference in Mumbai, at which Mr Richardson also announced the short-lists for the LG ICC Awards 2013, which will be broadcast as a TV show later in the year. The LG ICC Awards recognise the best international players over the period 7 August 2012 to 25 August 2013.

Seven countries are represented in the 12-man line-up and only one player – Mahendra Singh Dhoni of India – finds a place in the side for the sixth consecutive years. The ICC Champions Trophy 2013-winning captain has also been named as the captain, and will lead the side that also includes Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka, who were members of the ICC ODI Team of the Year 2012.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson commented: “I’d like to congratulate all those selected for the ICC Test and ODI Teams of the year. Those selected can be justifiably proud of their achievements and are thoroughly deserving of the recognition they receive”

The Chairman of the LG ICC Awards selection panel, Anil Kumble, added: “It is always tough to decide on the Test and ODI teams of the year, with so many worthy candidates to consider based on the players’ performances between 7 August 2012 and 25 August 2013.

“The selection panel had a lengthy debate on all the top performers during the performance period and a number of combinations were considered.

“The selectors did utilise a vast amount of statistics from the period under observation, but we also took into account other factors like the opposition, pitch conditions, match situation and the like. But when you have only 12 places to fill from a big group of world-class players, there will always be a few who will miss out.

“In the panel’s expert opinion, it has selected the best Test and ODI Teams based on performances over the past 12 months.”

Kumble was joined on the panel by former Pakistan fast bowler and captain Waqar Younis, former England captain and wicketkeeper Alec Stewart, former South Africa batsman and current Hall of Famer Graeme Pollock, and former New Zealand women’s player Catherine Campbell. Statistics were available as a guide but were not necessarily the overwhelming factor in the choices made.

The Selection Panel
The LG ICC Awards’ selection panel was charged with two main tasks: providing a long-list of nominations to the 32 members of the voting academy to cast their votes in the individual player award categories and, using their experience, knowledge and appreciation of the game, select the ICC Test and ODI teams of the year.

Anil Kumble (Chairman)
Anil Kumble, one of India’s finest bowlers, had an 18-year career in which he claimed 619 Test scalps. When he hung up his boots in 2008-09, he finished as the third highest wicket-taker in Test history behind only Muttiah Muralidaran and Shane Warne. Starting off as a bespectacled, unconventional leg-spinner, and also an engineering graduate, Kumble deceived batsmen with his pace and bounce, while adding more variety in the later years. A stubborn late-order batsman, Kumble also boasts of one Test hundred. In his life after his playing days, he has been a cricket administrator, and currently chairs the ICC’s Cricket Committee.

Waqar Younis
One half of the two Ws, perhaps the most destructive pace bowling pair of the 1990s, Waqar Younis made many a batsman worry about their toes along with his partner Wasim Akram. With a swinging round arm action, Waqar sprinted in from a long run and captured the imagination at the end of 1980s and early 1990s. He bowled at lightning speed in the early stages of his career and later tempered his style to bowl with plenty of control. Also a former Pakistan captain, Waqar’s promising career was often halted by injuries, but he only fought back with courage. Waqar’s great run came to a grinding halt at the end of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 and he announced his retirement from all cricket in April 2004. Following his retirement, Waqar also had a stint as bowling coach and head coach of the Pakistan side. He is also a television broadcaster.

Alec Stewart
England’s most dependable batsman of the 1990s, Alec Stewart was often the go-to man in tough situations. He batted at every position in the England Test XI, often taking body blows from some of the fiercest pace bowlers of his generation. Also a wicketkeeper, Stewart was more than adequate with the gloves and was quite often the all-rounder. He had the ability to walk into the England Test XI either as a pure batsman or as a wicketkeeper-batsman. He even led England briefly, most famously at the ICC Cricket World Cup 1999. He was quite often the able vice-captain to the likes of Graham Gooch, Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain. After his career ended in 2003, he became a commentator and is now serving as Director of Cricket at Surrey County Cricket Club.

Graeme Pollock
Perhaps the greatest South Africa batsman ever, Graeme Pollock’s budding Test career was cut short tragically by circumstances not under his control. His 23-Test career was cut short at the age of 26 when he had logged 2256 runs. He ended with a career average of 60.97, which was second only to Donald Bradman. He hails from a famous cricketing family, and his brother Peter and nephew Shaun have made a name for themselves with the ball. In cricketing annals he is regarded as the best left-handed batsman ever by no one lesser than Don Bradman himself. He has won a number of accolades for his achievements with the bat.

Catherine Campbell
A former New Zealand Women’s Test player, Campbell featured in nine Tests for her country during her six-year career. She also featured in 85 One-Day Internationals since making her debut during the Women’s World Cup 1988. She featured in three Women’s World Cups – 1988 (Australia), 1993 (England) and 1997 (India). Since the end of her playing career, Campbell has had a very successful time as an administrator, and is currently General Manager for Domestic Tournament, Competitions and Operations for New Zealand Cricket. She has also had the good fortune of serving as a member of the ICC Women’s Committee.

Based on the period between 7 August 2012 and 25 August 2013, the LG ICC Awards 2013 take into account performances by players and officials in a remarkable period for the game.

That period includes such high-profile events as the ICC World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012, the ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 held in India, the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 held in England and Wales, various rounds of the ICC Intercontinental Cup, numerous Pepsi ICC World Cricket League and Championship fixtures, and several bilateral Test, ODI and T20I series.

The LG ICC Awards is now in its 10th year, and this year will be broadcast as a TV show. Previous ceremonies were held in London (2004 and 2011), Sydney (2005), Mumbai (2006), Johannesburg (2007 and 2009), Dubai (2008), Bengaluru (2010) and Colombo (2012).